Dressage-News

WELLINGTON, Florida, Dec. 23, 2014–An innovative knockout style derby at Prix St. Georges, a $200,000 (€164,000) Grand Prix and likely more countries for the ground-breaking Nations Cup are among the highlights of the Adequan Global Dressage Festival set to begin its fourth year as the world’s richest dressage circuit.

A boost in total prize money to more than $650,000 (€533,000) for seven international and three national weeks of competition from Jan. 8 through Mar. 28 is expected to attract combinations from more than 20 countries including several Olympic and world championship riders to the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.

Participation of more Europeans than ever before will bring in more top trainers, including Germans Klaus Balkenhol, Olympic gold medalist and former U.S. team coach; Jürgen Koschel and Hubertus Schmidt among many others.

Quaification in four World Cup events for the Final being held in the United States two weeks after GDF for the first time since 2009 and the Pan American Games that is one of the biggest multidiscipline sports events on the globe are also features of the circuit that is a companion to the Winter Equestrian Festival of jumpers and hunters that is the largest and longest running equestrian event anywhere.

The innovative knockout style event in which four riders will ride off in two sections with the winners riding against each for the title will be at Prix St. Georges level during the week of the Palm Beach Dressage Derby Mar. 5-8, an event created more than three decades ago that was added in the GDF lineup last year.

The new CDI Amateur international division will be introduced at GDF for the first time in the world during the kickoff week and is offered for the whole season in every CDI. Riders must be at least 26 years old and will compete at the Small or Medium Tour level. Riders cannot be on the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) world ranking list, which is reserved for Grand Prix riders.

A new section of pony competition has been added for all national shows throughout the circuit, for U.S. Equestrian Federation Training Level through Third level with classes designated for the Junior/Young Rider, Adult Amateur and Open riders.

The CDIO3* Nations Cup and its unique format of teams of mixed small and big tour combinations created to provide a new standard for the Pan Ams will be staged the final week of the circuit,  March 25-28. The event is part of the third year of the FEI Nations Cup series and is the only non-European Nations Cup for dressage.

The $200,000 Grand Prix, second richest CDI5* in the world, has generated interest around the globe for the Feb. 5-8 event.

“Friday Night Lights” Freestyle performances will be showcased at the CDIs with many special events throughout the season.

2015 Adequan Global Dressage Festival CDI schedule of events:

Jan. 8-11-CDI-W/1*/U-25/YR/JR/P, presented by MTICA Farm
Jan. 22-25-CDI-W/1*/U-25/YR/JR/P, presented by U.S.P.R.E. Association & Chesapeake Dressage Institute
Feb. 5-8-CDI5*/3*/1*/U-25/YR/JR/P, presented by Diamante Farms & Wellington Equestrian Realty
Feb. 19-22-CDI4*/3*/1*/U-25/YR/JR/P, presented by Dutta Corp. & Havensafe Farm
March 5-8-Palm Beach Dressage Derby CDI-W/1*/U-25/YR/JR/P, presented by Everglades Dressage & Peacock Ridge
March 12-15-CDI-W/3*/1*/U-25/YR/JR/P & Florida Youth Dressage Championships, presented by Today’s Equestrian & Mike & Roz Collins
Mar. 25-28-CDIO3* Nations Cup/3*/1*/U-25/YR/JR/P, presented by Stillpoint Farm